The Army’s failure to properly deal with a soldier’s sexual assault complaint played “more than a minimal” role in her death, a coroner has said.

Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, was found dead in her room at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on 15 December 2021.

An inquest today recorded a conclusion of suicide “after a prolonged period of stress after harassment by her line management and problems with a relationship”.

Gunner Beck complained to her family about thousands of unwanted messages from her line manager, Ryan Mason, in the months leading up to her death.

He also wrote a 14-page document detailing his “feelings towards Jaysley” and paid for rooms next to each other during a work trip a week before she died, the inquest heard.

Wiltshire Police told the inquest evidence did not support a harassment case against Mr Mason, who is now a driving instructor.

Gunner Beck also formally complained to the Army about the behaviour of Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber, then 39.

She said he’d pinned her down and tried to kiss her after a drinking game during a team-building event in July 2021.

Gunner Beck, who joined the Army at 16, ended up sleeping in her car as she was so scared, the hearing in Salisbury was told.

WO Webber was given a “minor sanction” and wrote an apology letter – but was later promoted to Warrant Officer 2 rank

Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg said the Army should have reported the alleged incident to police instead of treating it with a “minor administrative action”.

He said this failure was “more than a minimal contributory factor” in Gunner Beck’s death.

An Army report in October 2023 described “an intense period of unwelcome behaviour” and said it was “almost certain this was a causal factor” in her death.

Staff Sergeant Cory Budd, who said he’d been in a relationship with Gunner Beck at the time of her death – while he was still married, found her body.

Police concluded there was no third-party involvement.

The coroner said that despite Jaysley being three times over the drink-drive limit when she died, he was satisfied she had still intended to take her own life.

Gunner Beck’s mother, Leighann McCready, attended the inquest with her partner and daughter.

Speaking outside court, she said her Jaysley was “bright”, “fantastic at her job” and exactly what the Army was looking for.

Ms McCready said no apology could bring her back and called for the Army to be stripped of the power to conduct its own investigations into harassment and bullying cases.

She said victims often feel like they can’t speak up and that “no one should have to suffer in silence”.

‘It’s weighing me down’

Ms McCready had told the court how her daughter “did not feel safe” as the situation with her line manager intensified, with Ryan Mason sending 3,600 messages in November 2021.

In one reply, she wrote: “This whole falling in love with me… it’s becoming a bit too much, I have just come out of a relationship and I’m just not wanting to be involved in anything like this.

“It’s weighing me down a little bit, I’ll be totally honest with you.”

The inquest also heard how Gunner Beck had been too afraid to return to her room after the alleged assault by WO Webber, locking herself in her car and making a complaint in the morning.

A colleague said she had been “frightened and in tears” and described her superior allegedly “waiting for a moment for them to be alone” before pinning her down and trying to kiss her.

Ms McCready said her daughter had been angered by the apology letter – which ended by saying his “door was open” for her.

The Army report said this was “possibly a factor that may have influenced her failure to report other events that happened subsequently”.

Its report also highlighted family issues, including bereavement, as playing a part in Gunner Beck’s death – but her family rejects this.

The Army report outlined three “contributory factors”, including:

• The “significant strain” of a sexual relationship with a married colleague in the last few weeks of her life;
• A relationship which ended in November 2021 which involved “repeated allegations of unfaithfulness on the part of the boyfriend”;
• An “unhealthy approach to alcohol, with episodes of binge drinking”.

WO Webber and Mr Mason declined to answer a number of questions at the inquest relating to their alleged behaviour towards Gunner Beck.

George Higgins, a former sergeant, also declined to answer questions about whether his relationship with Gunner Beck had begun when she was a recruit in Harrogate.

Army: ‘We should have done more’

Brigadier Melissa Emmett, head of the army personnel services group, said it accepts failures were made.

“We let her down in so many ways for which we have already apologised, and if I can apologise again, for what it’s worth, I would do,” she said.

“On a personal level, listening to the doubt and the fear that she had, the good encouragement of her friends to report, but the lack of confidence that they had in reporting, and the well-meaning but erroneous actions of the chain of command, I have found personally very grieving.

“We could have, and we should have, done more.”

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.

The suspect in the fatal shooting of a woman outside a pub in Kent is believed to be dead, police have said.

Lisa Smith, 43, was killed after she was shot outside a pub in Main Road, Knockholt, on the evening of Friday 14 February.

A car, driven by a man known to Lisa, was later found abandoned on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge at Dartford.

Police say a handgun was found inside the vehicle, and enquiries have since established that the suspect entered the water below.

In an update on Thursday, Detective Chief Inspector Dave Higham, from Kent Police, said: “We have carried out a full and extensive investigation into Lisa’s tragic murder and our enquiries have concluded that the suspect is believed to have died after falling into the River Thames.

“Multiple searches of several areas of the river have since been assisted by the Metropolitan Police, London Fire Brigade and Coastguard, but at this stage we have not recovered a body.

“These searches are ongoing and whilst our investigation will continue, we will be preparing our findings and reports to assist the coroner.

“This murder has led to the senseless loss of a beloved daughter and mother and our thoughts remain with Lisa’s family.”

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While officers said the victim and suspect were known to each other, they have not revealed how they are connected.

Michelle Thomas, who runs The Three Horseshoes pub near Sevenoaks, told Sky News she heard two loud bangs that she initially “thought were fireworks” on the night of the shooting.

She said there was “so much commotion – screaming, shouting, crying” and the attack had left the community in “absolute shock”.

She said the victim, Ms Smith, had been to the pub before “mostly in the summer” but “wasn’t a regular”.

British and other European troops could be deployed to Ukrainian cities, ports and nuclear power plants to help secure the peace following any ceasefire deal with Russia, Western officials have said.

Protecting Ukraine’s skies and coastline will also be key.

The officials declined to give numbers on the size of any potential force but signalled it would be under 30,000 personnel.

Sir Keir Starmer is due to meet with Donald Trump in the US in the coming days. It is unclear whether the European troop plan will be discussed.

Soldiers would not be posted close to frontline areas in the east and they would not be operating as “peacekeepers”.

Instead, the officials indicated that they would be a “reassurance” force for the public and to help encourage the return of millions of Ukrainians who fled the country because of Russia’s war.

This – should any such deployment be agreed – could include troops being located in major cities, ports and at sites of critical national infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants.

Satellites, spy planes and drones could also help in the effort.

Fleshing out details of ideas that are being discussed among European allies, led by the UK and France, it is understood that there could also be a kind of air policing-style mission, using fast jets based outside Ukraine, to assist with reopening Ukrainian airspace to civilian passenger planes once again.

No civilian flights have been possible since the start of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale war.

The UK and other NATO countries already perform this task in the Baltic states and Romania, patrolling the airspace to deter threats.

In addition, deploying warships to the Black Sea is a possibility, with the need for demining efforts as well as patrols to aid the resumption of maritime traffic off the Ukrainian coast.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, has already said the Royal Navy would be a good partner to help secure Ukraine’s shipping lanes along with its Nordic allies.

However, any kind of European-led reassurance mission would only work if there is what Sir Keir has described as a US “backstop”.

He has not elaborated on what that means but it is thought US involvement is vital to deliver the deterrent effect to ensure that Russia would not try to re-attack Ukraine for fear of triggering a US response.

This backstop could involve American military aircraft based outside Ukraine.

Donald Trump has not said whether he would support any such operation, while his defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, has categorically ruled out any American troops being sent to Ukraine.

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For its part, Russia has said the deployment of any European or NATO forces in Ukraine would be “unacceptable”.

Ukraine’s president has previously said any international security force would have to be about 110,000-strong.

But the Washington Post reported that discussions among European allies envisaged a contingent of between 25,000 and 30,000 personnel.

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Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Zelenskyy said his country would need security guarantees provided by its NATO partners.

Or it would need financing and weapons to build its own one-million-strong army, backed by a “comprehensive air defence system”.

He was referring to the US Patriot system, saying if Washington would not give Kyiv any more of these, perhaps it would be possible to buy them or receive a licence to build them in Ukraine.

“Ukraine is in a situation where we do not have many security guarantee options available,” Mr Zelenskyy said. “Creating something entirely new, something global, is unrealistic. We need security guarantees this year because we want to end the war this year.”